Display device and method for sensing a bending of the device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a display device including a panel which includes a plurality of electrodes which are arranged in parallel to each other, and a bending sensing unit that senses a bending of the panel by using a change in a capacitance between at least two electrodes among the plurality of electrodes.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit under 35 U.S.C.§119(a) of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2013-0128232, filed on Oct.28, 2013, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes asif fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technology for a display device, andmore particularly to, a technology for a display device which senses abending of the device.

2. Description of the Related Art

With the development of the information society, various types ofrequirements for a display device for displaying an image are increasingand, recently, various display devices, such as a Liquid Crystal Display(LCD), a Plasma Display Panel (PDP), and an Organic Light Emitting DiodeDisplay Device (OLED), are being used.

Recently, such display devices have been developed in the form of aflexible display device of which the panel may be bent. Although ageneral display device uses glass as a substrate so that a panel thereofis not bent, the flexible display device uses a plastic substrate so asto be folded or bent according to the user's will.

Meanwhile, the general display device may further include a touch inputsystem by which a user can easily input information or a command. Thetouch input system receives user information or a user command byrecognizing that a part of a human's body or a separate input devicemakes contact with a display device. Such a touch input system makes theuser's manipulation easier by using a natural behavior in which the usertouches a surface of the display device as the user input means.

Also, the flexible display device may include the touch input system. Atthis time, a user can naturally perform bending manipulation due to afoldable characteristic or a bendable characteristic of the flexibledisplay device. When such a user's bending manipulation is used as auser input means, user manipulation inputs may become more diverse andeasier.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a technology ofrecognizing bending manipulation for the display device.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a technology ofsensing a bending of a device by using an electrode used for touchsensing.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide a technologyof using bending manipulation for a display device as a usermanipulation means.

In order to solve the aforementioned problems, an aspect of the presentinvention is to provide a display device including a panel including aplurality of electrodes which are located in parallel to each other; anda bending sensing unit that senses a bending of the panel by using achange in a capacitance between at least two electrodes among theplurality of electrodes.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide a display deviceincluding a panel comprising Tx electrodes and Rx electrodes whichintersect with the Tx electrodes; a touch sensing unit that senses atouch with respect to the panel by using a change in a capacitancebetween the Tx electrodes and a change in a capacitance between the Rxelectrodes; and a bending sensing unit that senses a bending of thepanel by using the change in the capacitance between the Tx electrodesand the change in the capacitance between the Rx electrodes.

As described above, the present invention can allow the user to performan easy user manipulation input by recognizing bending manipulation fora display device.

Further, the present invention can sense bending without adding a newprocess by sensing the bending, using an electrode for touch sensing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more apparent from the following detailed descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a display device according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates a capacitance between two electrodes for sensing abending according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates locations of two electrodes for measuring a change inthe capacitance according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 illustrates a structure of a display device for sensing a bendingwith respect to two directions according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a bending sensing unit formeasuring a capacitance based on a driving signal, which is modeled,according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a graph depicting an output of Vout according to a change inthe capacitance CM of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates a configuration for sequentially applying a drivingsignal to electrodes according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 illustrates a structure of a display device further including atouch sensing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating a time zone when bending sensingand touch sensing are performed according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10A is a block diagram illustrating a display device furtherincluding a transmission unit, and FIG. 10B illustrates an example ofusing the display device according to an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 11 illustrates a magnitude of a change in a capacitance accordingto a flexible distance according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described withreference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description,the same elements will be designated by the same reference numeralsalthough they are shown in different drawings. Further, in the followingdescription of embodiments of the present invention, a detaileddescription of known functions and configurations incorporated hereinwill be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the presentinvention rather unclear.

In addition, terms, such as first, second, A, B, (a), (b) or the likemay be used herein when describing components of the present invention.These terms are merely used to distinguish one structural element fromother structural elements, and a property, an order, a sequence and thelike of a corresponding structural element are not limited by the term.It should be noted that if it is described in the specification that onecomponent is “connected,” “coupled” or “joined” to another component, athird component may be “connected,” “coupled,” and “joined” between thefirst and second components, although the first component may bedirectly connected, coupled or joined to the second component. Likewise,when it is described that a certain element is formed “on” or “under”another element, it should be understood that the certain element may beformed either directly or indirectly via a still another element on orunder another element.

FIG. 1 illustrates a structure of a display device according to anembodiment.

Referring to FIG. 1, a display device 100 may include a panel 110 and abending sensing unit 120. In FIG. 1, a figure illustrated below thepanel 110 is a lower side view (lower side sectional view) of the panel110, and a figure illustrated at a right side of the panel 110 is aright side view (right side sectional view) of the panel 110.

The panel 110 may include a plurality of electrodes which do notintersect with each other. For example, the panel 110 may include aplurality of electrodes arranged in parallel similar to Rx electrodes ofFIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 1, the panel 110 may further include intersectionelectrodes (e.g., Tx electrodes) which intersect with the plurality ofelectrodes (e.g., Rx electrodes) which do not intersect with each other,as well as the plurality of electrodes. The display device 100 accordingto an embodiment may include only the plurality of electrodes which donot intersect with each other. However, in order to further describeadditional embodiments, FIG. 1 also illustrates the plurality ofintersection electrodes which intersect with the plurality ofelectrodes. Further, the intersection electrodes are electrodes which donot intersect with each other, and may correspond to the “plurality ofelectrodes which do not intersect with each other” described in anembodiment.

Hereinafter, the Rx electrodes or the Tx electrodes illustrated in FIG.1 are used as an example of the plurality of electrodes which do notintersect with each other or the intersection electrodes.

The bending sensing unit 120 senses a bending of the panel 110 by usinga change in a capacitance between at least two electrodes among the Rxelectrodes which do not intersect with each other.

The bending sensing unit 120 may measure or estimate the change in thecapacitance by using two electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+1) in FIG. 1.Further, the bending sensing unit 120 may measure or estimate the changein the capacitance by using three or more electrodes Rx(j), Rx(j+1) andRx(j+2). A capacitance implies an amount of charge accumulated betweeninsulated conductors, and may be generated between two or moreconductors which are not in contact with each other. Hereinafter,although an embodiment will be described which measures or estimates achange in a capacitance by using two electrodes, three or moreelectrodes may be used. (In FIG. 1, n denotes a natural number equal toor larger than 1, m denotes a natural number equal to or larger than 3,j denotes a natural number equal to or larger than 1, and k denotes anatural number equal to or larger than 3.)

FIG. 2 (FIGS. 2A and 2B) illustrates a capacitance between twoelectrodes for sensing a bending.

FIG. 2A is a lower side view of FIG. 1 and illustrates a capacitance CMbetween electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+2).

At this time, as illustrated in a left figure of FIG. 2B, when a forceis applied to the panel 110, the panel 110 is bent. A right figure ofFIG. 2 is an enlarged lower side view illustrating a bent portion of thepanel 110. It can be identified with reference to the right figure ofFIG. 2 that shapes and locations of the electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+2)constituting the capacitance CM are changed.

CM=ε(A/t)   Equation (1)

(where permittivity of dielectric material located between twoelectrodes, A: Sectional area of two electrodes, and t: distacne betweentwo electrodes).

As indicated by Equation (1) above, the capacitance CM varies accordingto a sectional area A of the two electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+2), adistance t between the two electrodes, and a permittivity of adielectric material located between the two electrodes.

Referring to FIG. 2, the sectional area of the two electrodes increasesas the panel 110 is bent. Further, the distance t between the twoelectrodes decreases as the panel 110 is bent. As such two variables Aand t are changed to increase the capacitance, when the panel is bent,the capacitance CM has a larger value. Of course, as an example ofchanges in a shape and a location between such two electrodes, inaccordance with a bent shape, the sectional area of the two electrodesmay decrease, and a distance between the two electrodes may increase.

The bending sensing unit 120 senses a bending of the panel by measuringor estimating a change in the capacitance CM between the two electrodesRx(j) and Rx(j+2), which varies according to the bending of the panel110.

The bending of the panel 110 can be sensed by selecting at least twoelectrodes from among the plurality of electrodes arranged in the panel110 and identifying a capacitance between the selected at least twoelectrodes.

FIG.2 illustrates an electrode structure in which at least one otherelectrode (In FIG. 2, Rx(j+1) is located between the two electrodesRx(j) and Rx(j+2) between which a capacitance caused by the bending ismeasured. As the distance between the two electrodes becomes longer,when the panel 110 is bent, a change in the distance t between the twoelectrodes and a change in the sectional area A between the twoelectrodes may increase. As illustrated in FIG. 2, when a capacitance ismeasured by selecting two electrodes between which another electrode islocated, a distance between the two electrodes becomes longer, so thatthe bending sensing unit 120 can identify a capacitance having a largerchange amount.

Meanwhile, the two electrodes may be adjacent to each other, which isunlike FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment about a location of two electrodesto measure a change in a capacitance, which is unlike FIG. 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, the bending sensing unit 120 can identify a changein a capacitance by selecting two adjacent electrodes (In FIG. 3,identifying a capacitance CM between electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+1). Asdescribed above, the capacitance is in inverse proportional to adistance between two electrodes, so that as the two electrodes becomesfar away from each other, the capacitance becomes smaller. When thecapacitance becomes smaller, an error in measurement or an error causedby noise may be generated. In a case of the electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+1)of FIG. 3, when the capacitance is identified by selecting the twoadjacent electrodes, the bending sensing unit 120 may decrease the errorin the measurement or the error caused by the noise.

The panel 110 may be bent about two axes when viewed on the plane. Anembodiment in which bending is sensed with respect to two axes on aplane will be described with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 illustrates a structure of a display device for sensing bendingwith respect to two directions.

Referring to FIG. 4, the panel 110 may include Rx electrodes arranged tobe parallel to each other in the X direction and Tx electrodes arrangedto be parallel to each other in the Y direction.

The bending sensing unit 120 may identify a change in a capacitancebetween the Rx electrodes to sense X-directional bending with respect tothe panel 110. Further, the bending sensing unit 120 may identify achange in a capacitance between the Tx electrodes to sense Y-directionalbending with respect to the panel 110.

Meanwhile, the bending sensing unit 120 may apply a driving signal toone of two electrodes and receive a response signal for the drivingsignal from the other one of the two electrodes, in order to measure acapacitance or a change in the capacitance between the two electrodes.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating a bending sensing unit formeasuring a capacitance based on a driving signal, which is modeled.

Referring to FIG. 5, the bending sensing unit 120 applies a drivingsignal Vin to an electrode Tx(n) (one electrode among two electrodes),and a capacitance therebetween is to be measured. A capacitance CMbetween two electrodes Tx(n) and Tx(n+1) is formed. A driving signalhaving been applied to the electrode Tx(n) is transferred to theelectrode Tx(n+1) (another electrode) through the capacitance CM and isconverted in a form of a response signal. A waveform of the drivingsignal transferred to the electrode Tx(n+1) may vary according to animpedance of the capacitance CM and the electrode Tx(n+1), and a form ofthe varied waveform may be defined as a response signal. But, thepresent embodiment is not limited by such names.

At this time, the driving signal has a waveform of an AlternatingCurrent (AC). Since the two electrodes Tx(n) and the Tx(n+1) areinsulated, a driving signal having a waveform of a Direction Current(DC) cannot be transferred, and only a driving signal having a waveformof a Alternating Current (AC) can be transferred.

The bending sensing unit 120 receives a response signal formed by theelectrode Tx(n+1) to input the response signal to an integrator (In FIG.5, a portion formed by an opAmp and an integration capacitor Cs) so asto output an output Vout.

Such a final output Vout is varied according to a change in thecapacitance CM.

FIG. 6 is a graph depicting an output Vout according to a change in thecapacitance CM of FIG. 5.

In FIG. 6, a curved line 620 of which an increase amount is largecorresponds to a graph with respect to an output Vout of when the panel110 is bent, and a curved line 610 of which an increase amount is smallcorresponds to a graph with respect to an output Vout of when the panel110 is not bent.

Vout ∝ CM/Cs   Equation (2)

As indicated by Equation (2) above, the output Vout is proportional to amagnitude of the capacitance CM. As described with reference to FIG. 2,when the panel 110 is bent, the capacitance CM may increase due to adecrease in a distance between two electrodes or due to an increase in asectional area of the two electrode. With the increase in thecapacitance CM, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the panel 110 is bent,the output Vout may become larger. However, it is just an example thatthe capacitance CM increases when the panel 110 is bent, and thecapacitance CM may decrease according to a shape of the panel 110.

The capacitance CM is varied according to the shape of the panel 110,and such a variance may be measured by the output Vout through thecircuit illustrated in FIG. 5. Further, the bending sensing unit 120senses bending by using such an output Vout.

Meanwhile, although the bending sensing unit 120 may sense the bendingby selecting only two electrodes among the plurality of electrodesarranged in the panel 110, the bending sensing unit 120 may also sensethe bending by using all of the plurality of electrodes in order toacquire more detailed information related to the bending.

FIG. 7 illustrates a structure for sequentially applying a drivingsignal to a plurality of electrodes. FIG. 7 illustrates a sequence inwhich a driving signal is applied in the lower side view of the panel110 of FIG. 1.

Referring to FIG. 7, the bending sensing unit 120 may apply a drivingsignal to an electrode Rx(1) among Rx electrodes. At this time, thebending sensing unit 120 may receive a response signal with respect to adriving signal applied to the electrode Rx(1), through an electrodeRx(2). As a result, the bending sensing unit 120 can identify a changein a capacitance between the electrodes Rx(1) and Rx(2), and can sense abent state of the panel 110 at a location where the electrodes Rx(1) andRx(2) are disposed.

Continuously, using the same scheme, the bending sensing unit 120 cansense a bent state of the panel 110 at a location where the electrodesRx(j) and Rx(j+1) are disposed, by applying a driving signal to anelectrode Rx(j) and receiving a response signal from an electrodeRx(j+1).

The bending sensing unit 120 can sequentially apply a driving signal toelectrodes other than an electrode Rx(k) at a right end of the structurewhere the Rx electrodes are disposed. Further, since an electrode nextto an electrode applying the driving signal (e.g., an electrode Rx(k)next to an electrode Rx(k-1) receives a response signal with respect tothe corresponding driving signal, a change in a capacitance between thetwo electrodes can be identified, so that the bent state of the panel110 at the location where the two electrodes are disposed. Since thebending is sensed by the two electrodes, the driving signal need not beapplied to the electrode at one end.

Although it is described with reference to FIG. 7 that the bendingsensing unit 120 senses the bending by using the two adjacentelectrodes, the bending sensing unit 120 may also sense the bending byusing two electrodes between which one electrode is disposed (e.g.,electrodes Rx(j) and Rx(j+2). In this case, in FIG. 7, the drivingsignal need not be applied to two electrodes Rx(k-1) and Rx(k) at theright end.

Hereinabove, while the display device 100 according to an embodiment hasbeen described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7, it has been describedthat the panel 110 may include the plurality of electrodes which do notintersect with each other (In FIG. 1, Rx electrodes) and the pluralityof intersection electrodes which intersect with the plurality ofelectrodes (In FIG. 1, Tx electrodes), and the Rx electrodes and the Txelectrodes may be used for sensing bending of the panel 110.Hereinafter, an embodiment in which the display device 100 senses atouch by using the Rx electrodes and the Tx electrodes will be describedwith reference to FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 illustrates a structure of a display device 100 further includinga touch sensing unit 810.

Referring to FIG. 8, the display device 100 may have a structureobtained by adding the touch sensing unit 810 to the structure of FIG.1.

The touch sensing unit 810 can recognize whether a part of a user's bodyor a separate input device touches (contacts) the panel 110. The touchsensing unit 810 may sense whether a touch is generated near anintersection point where two electrodes Tx(n) and Rx(j) intersect witheach other, by applying a driving signal to the electrode Tx(n) amongthe Tx electrodes and receiving a response signal with respect to thedriving signal from the electrode Rx(j) among the Rx electrodes.

A method of sensing a touch at one intersection point by the touchsensing unit 810 may be similar to the method of sensing bending by thebending sensing unit 120, which has been described with reference toFIG. 5. First, the touch sensing unit 810 applies the driving signal tothe electrode Tx(n). At this time, the driving signal may have awaveform of an AC. Such a driving signal having the waveform of the ACis transferred to the electrode Rx(j) through a capacitance CMT formedbetween the electrodes Tx(n) and Rx(j), and the response signal isformed at the electrode Rx(j). The touch sensing unit 810 senses a touchby receiving the response signal at such an electrode Rx(j).

When a touch is generated, the capacitance (e.g., in FIG. 8, CMT)between the electrodes Tx and Rx at the corresponding touch pointbecomes smaller. Accordingly, the touch sensing unit 810 recognizes thata touch is generated at a point where a final output waveform (waveformcorresponding to the output Vout in FIG. 5) becomes smaller, amongpoints where the response signals are received.

The touch sensing unit 810 can recognize touch coordinates on the planeby sequentially applying the driving signal to the Tx electrodes andsequentially receiving the response signal from the Rx electrodes.

In this way, the display device 100 can sense the touch and the bendingusing the Tx electrodes and the Rx electrodes formed in the panel 110.When the display device 100 includes the panel 110 and the touch sensingunit 810, the display device 100 can sense both the touch and thebending by further adding the bending sensing unit 120 withoutinstalling additional electrodes in the panel 110. In contrast, when thedisplay device 100 includes the panel 110 and the bending sensing unit120, the display device 100 can sense both the touch and the bending byfurther adding the touch sensing unit 810 without installing additionalelectrodes in the panel 110.

The display device 100 to which the embodiment of FIG. 8 is appliedsenses the touch and the bending by using the same electrodes, so thatthe sensing operations of the touch and the bending may be performed atdifferent time zones.

FIG. 9 is a timing chart illustrating a time zone when bending sensingand touch sensing are performed.

Referring to FIG. 9, the bending sensing unit 120 in the display device100 first senses a bending in a direction in which the Tx electrodes arearranged (in FIG. 4, Y direction), by sequentially applying a drivingsignal to the Tx electrodes. Further, the bending sensing unit 120senses a bending in a direction in which the Rx electrodes are arranged(in FIG. 4, X direction), by sequentially applying a driving signal tothe Rx electrodes. Such bending sensing may be performed within a timeperiod of 2.5 ms to 5 ms.

When the sensing with respect to the bending is completed, the touchsensing unit 810 senses a touch by sequentially applying a drivingsignal to the Tx electrodes and sequentially receiving a response signalfrom the Rx electrodes. Such touch sensing may be performed within atime period of 2.5 ms to 5 ms.

Referring to FIG. 9, the display device 100 may perform the bending andthe touch within a time period of 5 ms to 10 ms, in which case thedisplay device 100 may drive a frame with 100 Hz (in a case of 10 ms) to200 Hz (in a case of 5 ms).

When the display device 100 can sense bending, such bending can beutilized as a user manipulation means. For example, when the displaydevice 100 further includes an electronic calculator, the electroniccalculator needs the user manipulation means (e.g., selection of “Yes”or “No”) in order to process information. In this case, the bendingsensing unit 120 can notify the electronic calculator of whether thepanel 110 is bent, through the sensing, and when the panel 110 is bent,it is determined that a user selects “Yes” so that the electroniccalculator can process the information. As can be seen in the presentembodiment, the user can perform the user manipulation input onlythrough the operation of folding or bending the display device 100 whichis carried thereby.

Another example where the bending sensing of the display device 100 isused as the user manipulation means will be described with reference toFIG. 10 (FIGS. 10A and 10B).

FIG. 10A is a block diagram illustrating a display device furtherincluding a transmission unit, and FIG. 10B illustrates an example ofusing the display device.

Referring to FIG. 10A, the display device 100 further includes atransmission unit 1030 which can transmit, to another device,information on bending of the panel 110 sensed by the bending sensingunit 120.

There may be various values included in the information on the bending(hereinafter, referred to as “bending information”) transmitted by thetransmission unit 1030. As the easiest example, the bending informationmay include a value indicating whether the panel 110 is bent or not. Thebending sensing unit 120 can sense whether the panel 110 is bent or not,by comparing a capacitance when the panel 110 is bent with a capacitancewhen the panel 110 is not bent. The transmission unit 1030 may transmit,to another device, the bending information including the sensed valueindicating whether the panel 110 is bent or not.

The bending information may include a value indicating a flexibledistance. As illustrated in FIG. 5, since the value Vout is proportionalto the capacitance CM, the bending sensing unit 120 can sense the valueindicating the flexible distance by using the capacitance CM changedaccording to the flexible distance, and the value indicating theflexible distance may be transferred to another device while beingincluded in the bending information.

In addition, the bending information may include coordinate values of alocation where a magnitude of bending is large. As described withreference to FIG. 7, when sensing sequentially applying the drivingsignal to the Tx electrodes and the Rx electrodes to sense bending withrespect to all of the electrodes, the bending sensing unit 120 can sensethe coordinate values of the location where the magnitude of the bendingis large.

The transmission unit 1030 may transmit, to another device, the bendinginformation including various pieces of information on the bending.

Referring to FIG. 10B, the display device 100 converts various bendingmanipulations applied to the panel 110 into the bending information totransmit the converted bending information to another device 1040 byusing the transmission unit 1030.

As described above, the bending sensing unit 120 can sense informationon various types of bending (e.g., whether bending is generated, theflexible distance, the location of the bending), and such information onvarious types of bending is transferred to the another device 1040through the transmission unit 1030. At this time, the another device1040 can identify a content of user's bending manipulation by analyzingthe transferred bending information. For example, the another device1040 can identify whether a user twists the panel 110 or pulls the panel110, by analyzing the value indicating the flexible distance and thecoordinate values of the location where the bending is generated.

As a result, the user can use various types of bending manipulations asa user manipulation input to manipulate the another device 1040. Theanother device 1040 may be a game console. The game console may be aproduct manufactured only for playing a game, and may also be a gameconsole having a dedicated platform and using a television as a display.

The display device 100 according to an embodiment may be used as a gamemanipulation device for such a game console. In particular, when thegame console executes a physical interactive game, the display device100 may be one manipulation means of the physical interactive game. Thephysical interactive game implies a game such as a sports game, in whicha game user plays the game while moving with a character in the game.Such a physical interactive game needs a separate device for convertingan activity of the game user into a user manipulation signal, and thedisplay device 100 according to an embodiment may function as this typeof separate device. p Meanwhile, the transmission unit 1030 may includea communication module for transmitting the bending information. Thecommunication module may be a wired communication module or a wirelesscommunication module. The wireless communication module may employ ashort range communication scheme such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth andinfrared-ray communication.

It has been described in the embodiment described with reference toFIGS. 1 to 10 that the display device 100 can sense bending by using thechange in the capacitance between the two electrode (two electrodeswhich do not intersect with each other), which is caused according tothe bending of the panel 110. FIG. 11 (FIGS. 11A-11C) illustrates dataof the change in the capacitance between the two electrodes, which iscaused according to the bending of the panel 110.

FIG. 11C is a graph depicting an amount of a change in a capacitanceaccording to a flexible distance. In detail, FIG. 11A illustrateslocations of two electrodes between which a capacitance is measured,FIG. 11B illustrates an indicator indicating a flexible distance, andFIG. 11C is a graph depicting the capacitance between the two electrodeswith respect to the flexible distance.

Referring to FIG. 11A, the change in the capacitance according to theflexible distance is measured with respect to two directions of the Rxelectrodes and the Tx electrodes (a capacitance CM(Rx) betweenelectrodes Rx(3) and Rx(4) and a capacitance CM(Tx) between electrodesTx(3) and Tx(4) are measured). In addition, referring to FIG. 11B, theflexible distance is a height between a central portion and one end ofthe panel 110 when the panel 110 is bent.

In each case where the panel 110 is gradually bent, when thecapacitances CM(Tx) and CM(Rx) are measured according to the height ofeach cases, it can be identified that the capacitances CM(Rx) and CM(Tx)between the two electrodes increase according to an increase in theflexible distance as illustrated in FIG. 11C.

As can be seen through data of FIG. 11, when the capacitance between thetwo electrodes which do not intersect with each other in the panel 110is identified, the flexible distance of the panel 110 can be sensed. Thesensing information on the bending may be utilized as a means whichmakes a user input easier.

Further, the terms “includes”, “constitutes”, or “has” mentioned abovemean that a corresponding structural element is included unless theyhave no reverse meaning. Accordingly, it should be interpreted that theterms may not exclude but further include other structural elements. Allthe terms that are technical, scientific or otherwise agree with themeanings as understood by a person skilled in the art unless defined tothe contrary. Common terms as found in dictionaries should beinterpreted in the context of the related technical writings not tooideally or impractically unless the present disclosure expressly definesthem so.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been describedfor illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatvarious modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, theembodiments disclosed in the present invention are merely to not limitbut describe the technical spirit of the present invention. Further, thescope of the technical spirit of the present invention is limited by theembodiments. The scope of the present invention shall be construed onthe basis of the accompanying claims in such a manner that all of thetechnical ideas included within the scope equivalent to the claimsbelong to the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A display device comprising: a panel comprising aplurality of electrodes which are located in parallel to each other; anda bending sensing unit that senses a bending of the panel by using achange in a capacitance between at least two electrodes among theplurality of electrodes.
 2. The display device of claim 1, wherein thepanel further comprises intersection electrodes which intersect with theplurality of electrodes, and the display device further comprises atouch sensing unit confiruged to sense a touch of the panel by using achange in a capacitance between one electrode of the plurality ofelectrodes and one electrode of the plurality of intersectionelectrodes.
 3. The display device of claim 2, wherein the bendingsensing unit senses a bending of the panel at a time point which isdifferent from a time point of when the touch sensing unit senses atouch.
 4. The display device of claim 1, wherein the panel furthercomprises intersection electrodes which intersect with the plurality ofelectrodes, and the bending sensing unit senses a bending in a firstdirection with respect to the panel by using the change in thecapacitance between the at least two electrodes among the plurality ofelectrodes, and senses bending in a second direction with respect to thepanel by using a change in a capacitance between at least two electrodesamong the plurality of intersection electrodes.
 5. The display device ofclaim 1, wherein the bending sensing unit applies a driving signal toone electrode among the at least two electrodes, receives a responsesignal with respect to the driving signal from the other electrode amongthe at least two electrodes, and senses the capacitance between the oneelectrode and the other electrode according to the response signal. 6.The display device of claim 1, wherein at least one different electrodeis disposed between the at least two electrodes.
 7. The display deviceof claim 1, further comprising a transmission unit that transmits, toanother device, information on the sensed bending of the panel.
 8. Adisplay device comprising: a panel comprising Tx electrodes and Rxelectrodes which intersect with the Tx electrodes; a touch sensing unitthat senses a touch with respect to the panel by using a change in acapacitance between the Tx electrodes and a change in a capacitancebetween the Rx electrodes; and a bending sensing unit that senses abending of the panel by using the change in the capacitance between theTx electrodes and the change in the capacitance between the Rxelectrodes.
 9. The display device of claim 8, wherein the bendingsensing unit senses the bending of the panel at a time point which isdifferent from a time point of when the touch sensing unit senses atouch.
 10. The display device of claim 8, wherein the bending sensingunit senses a bending in a first direction with respect to the panel byusing a change in a capacitance between the Tx electrodes, and senses abending in a second direction with respect to the panel by using achange in a capacitance between the Rx elecrodes.